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Preet K. Gill

Restructuring, Insolvency and Complex Litigation Lawyer at Bennett Jones Toronto

Toronto Managing Partner

Denise D. Bright

Public and Private Company Financial Transactions and Securities Lawyer at Bennett Jones Calgary

Partner 

As detailed in our prior blog, <a href="/Insights/Blogs/Canadian-Government-Finally-Provides-Certainty-on-Criminal-Interest-Rates">Canadian Government (Finally) Provides Certainty on Criminal Interest Rates</a>, the Government of Canada proposed amendments to lower the criminal interest rate to an annual percentage rate (APR) of 35 percent (the prior criminal interest rate, being an effective rate of 60 percent, was equivalent to an APR of about 48 percent).

Lower Criminal Interest Rate Now in Effect

Kelsey J. Meyer

Commercial Litigation, Bankruptcy, Insolvency and Restructuring Lawyer at Bennett Jones Calgary

Partner

Jesse Mighton

Insolvency and Restructuring Lawyer at Bennett Jones Toronto

In the unrelated companion cases of Aquino v Bondfield Construction Co, <a href="https://decisions.scc-csc.ca/scc-csc/scc-csc/en/item/20694/index.do">2024 SCC 31</a> and Scott v Golden Oaks Enterprises Inc, <a href="https://decisions.scc-csc.ca/scc-csc/scc-csc/en/item/20695/index.do">2024 SCC 32</a>, the Supreme Court of Canada applied the common law doctrine of corporate attribution to bankruptcy and insolvency law through a purposive, contextual and pragmatic approach.

The SCC Clarifies the Corporate Attribution Doctrine and Creditor Protection Tools in Insolvency Law

Robert W. Staley

Commercial, Securities and Class Action Litigation Lawyer at Bennett Jones Toronto

Vice Chair and Partner

Doug Fenton

Litigation Lawyer at Bennett Jones Toronto

In ruling that a securities regulatory authority's disgorgement orders (a sanction stemming from misconduct) survive a bankruptcy discharge while its administrative penalties do not, the Supreme Court of Canada endorsed the principle that "every claim is swept into the bankruptcy and that the bankrupt is released from all of them upon being discharged unless the law sets out a clear exclusion or exemption." The Supreme Court’s decision clarifies the differing treatment of administrative penalties and disgorgement orders in the context of exceptions outlined in s. 178 of the Bankruptcy and Insolvency Act.

The Supreme Court Holds That Securities Disgorgement Orders Survive Bankruptcy

In a recent case, Bricklayers Pension Fund of Western Pennsylvania (derivatively on behalf of Centene Corporation) v Brinkley (Centene), Delaware's Court of Chancery dismissed “Caremark duty claims”—named after the 1996 case establishing a duty of oversight required by a U.S. board of directors—against members of Centene's board of directors.
Allegations against the directors focused on the failure to oversee, and deferral to, management. The decision confirms the high threshold applicable to find a breach of a director’s Caremark duty.

Delaware Court Affirms High Threshold for Breach of Directors Caremark Duties

Delaware Court Affirms High Threshold for Breach of Directors' Caremark Duties 

Drew C. Broughton

Corporate Commercial and M&A Lawyer at Bennett Jones Calgary

Jie (Kevin) Zhou

M&A, Private Equity and Corporate Lawyer at Bennett Jones Calgary

Jesse Fontaine

Commercial Transactions Lawyer at Bennett Jones Edmonton

Associate

The Ontario Court of Appeal confirmed that earn-out acceleration clauses are to be interpreted contextually, with materiality turning on a transaction&rsquo;s impact on the earn-out regime rather than its size or value. The decision reinforces the exceptional nature of earn-out acceleration remedies and the importance of precise drafting in share purchase agreements.

ONCA Affirms Denial of Claim for Earn Out Acceleration

ONCA Affirms Denial of Claim for Earn-Out Acceleration

J. Sébastien A. Gittens

Intellectual Property and Technology Commercialization Lawyer at Bennett Jones Calgary

Partner, Trademark Agent

Stephen D. Burns

Technology Lawyer, Intellectual Property Lawyer at Bennett Jones Calgary

Ahmed Elmallah

Intellectual Property Lawyer at Bennett Jones Edmonton

Counsel, Patent Agent, Trademark Agent

Shadow AI is increasingly present in workplaces as employees adopt unauthorized AI tools to improve efficiency, often without organizational oversight. While these tools may offer short-term productivity gains, they create significant compliance, governance, privacy and liability risks. This post examines the drivers of shadow AI, the risks it poses and practical strategies organizations can implement to manage and mitigate those risks.

Hiding in the Shadows The Perils of Shadow AI on Your Organization

Hiding in the Shadows: The Perils of Shadow AI on Your Organization  

Keely Cameron

Litigation Lawyer at Bennett Jones Calgary

Chyna Brown

Commercial Litigation Lawyer at Bennett Jones Calgary 

In Royal Bank of Canada v Patterson Dental Canada Inc, the Alberta Court of Appeal clarified how PPSA priority rules apply where assets used in a corporate business are personally owned by a director. The Court confirmed that ownership and registration against the correct debtor are decisive in priority disputes, and provided guidance on the treatment of leases and the proper distribution of holdbacks in insolvency sales.

Alberta Court of Appeal Clarifies PPSA Priorities in Insolvency Sales

Michael A. Eizenga L.S.M.

Leading Canadian Class Action Litigator at Bennett Jones Toronto

Pascale Dionne-Bourassa

Civil and Commercial Litigator, Construction Law Lawyer at Bennett Jones (Québec) LLP

Montréal Managing Partner

Katherine Booth

Litigation Lawyer at Bennett Jones Vancouver

Bennett Jones partners <a href="/People/E/Eizenga-Michael">Michael Eizenga</a>, <a href="/People/D/Dionne-Bourassa-Pascale">Pascale Dionne-Bourassa</a>&nbsp;and <a href="/People/B/Booth-Katherine">Katherine Booth</a>&nbsp;have co-authored The Canadian Class Actions Handbook, published by LexisNexis. Building on The Class Actions Handbook released in 2022, this new edition brings together the core principles of class proceedings law and provides essential coverage of recent developments across Ontario, Quebec, British Columbia and the Federal Court.

The Canadian Class Actions Handbook

Nina Butz

In RateMDs Inc. v. Bleuler, 2025 BCCA 329, the BC Court of Appeal overturned certification of a proposed privacy class action, finding that the plaintiff's novel claims that use of health professionals' names violated their privacy and amounted to commercial exploitation under provincial privacy statutes were bound to fail.

BC Court of Appeal dismisses proposed privacy class action

BC Court of Appeal Dismisses Proposed Privacy Class Action; Finds Use of Professionals' Names Was Not Commercial Exploitation 

Gone Fishing: Subsection 231.2(3) Hooks the Anonymous Tax Evader

From the Same Authors